Coffee bean particle motion in a rotating drum measured using Positron Emission Particle Tracking (PEPT)

Mark Al-Shemmeri, Kit Windows-Yule, Estefania Lopez-Quiroga, Peter J Fryer

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Abstract

Physicochemical transformation of coffee during roasting depends on the applied time-temperature profile (i.e., rate of heat transfer), with heat transfer phenomena governed by particle dynamics. Positron Emission Particle Tracking (PEPT), a non-invasive imaging technique, was used here to characterise the granular flow of coffee in a real, pilot-scale rotating drum roaster. The experimental study established the impact of drum speed, batch size and bean density (i.e., roast degree) on the system's particle dynamics. Particle motion data revealed two distinct regions: (i) a disperse (low occupancy, high velocity) region of in-flight particles and (ii) a dense (high occupancy, low velocity) bean bed. Implications of these results for heat transfer suggest that controlling drum speed for different density coffees will provide roaster operators with a tool to modulate conductive heat transfer from the heated drum to the bean bed. These comprehensive data thus inform roasting best practices and support the development of physics-driven models coupling heat and mass transfer to particle dynamics.

Original languageEnglish
Article number112253
Number of pages13
JournalFood Research International
Volume163
Early online date29 Nov 2022
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2023

Bibliographical note

Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Keywords

  • Coffea
  • Electrons
  • Hot Temperature
  • Seeds

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